Sen. Leroy M. Garcia, Jr.

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Colorado human trafficking council - continuation under the sunset law. The act continues the Colorado human trafficking council (council) until September 1, 2024. The act amends the composition of the council as follows: Adds one more person who is a former victim of human trafficking for involuntary servitude and one more person who is a former victim of human trafficking for sexual servitude; Adds a new position for one person who is a representative of a statewide coalition for victims of domestic violence; and Adds a new position for one person who is a representative of an organization for victims of labor trafficking or an individual who has extensive professional experience in advocating for victims of labor trafficking. The act amends the council's requirements to make recommendations to the judiciary committees of the house of representatives and the senate. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Small game hunting and fishing license - columbine annual pass - property tax work-off program - first responders with a permanent occupational disability. The act grants first responders with a permanent occupational disability free lifetime small game hunting and fishing licenses and a free columbine annual pass for entrance into state parks. The act also allows first responders with a permanent occupational disability to be eligible to participate in a property tax work-off program established by a taxing entity. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Colorado state university global campus - national guard tuition assistance. The act adds Colorado state university - global campus to the list of designated institutions of higher education for purposes of tuition assistance for members of the National Guard.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Medication-assisted treatment expansion pilot program - extension - administration - additional counties to participate - funding increase - appropriation. In 2017, the general assembly enacted Senate Bill 17-074, concerning the creation of a pilot program in certain areas of the state experiencing high levels of opioid addiction to award grants to increase access to addiction treatment, which created a 2-year medication-assisted treatment (MAT) expansion pilot program, administered by the university of Colorado college of nursing, to expand access to medication-assisted treatment to opioid-dependent patients in Pueblo and Routt counties and directed the general assembly to appropriate $500,000 per year for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 fiscal years from the marijuana tax cash fund to the university of Colorado board of regents for allocation to the college of nursing to implement the pilot program. The 2017 act also scheduled the pilot program for repeal on June 30, 2020. The act: Expands the pilot program to the counties in the San Luis valley and 2 additional counties in which a need is demonstrated; Shifts responsibility to administer the pilot program from the college of nursing to the center for research into substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery support strategies; Adds representatives from the San Luis valley and any other counties selected to participate in the pilot program and members from the boards of county commissioners from participating counties to the advisory board that assists in administering the program; Increases the annual appropriation for the pilot program to $2.5 million for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 fiscal years; and Extends the program an additional 2 years. The act appropriates $2.5 million from the marijuana tax cash fund to the department of higher education for use by the board of regents of the university of Colorado to allocate to the center for research into substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery support strategies for the MAT expansion pilot program. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

State institutions of higher education - tuition assistance - dependents of military members - dependents of law enforcement officers and firefighters. A dependent of a prisoner of war or military personnel missing in action, a dependent of a person who died or was permanently disabled while on duty as a Colorado National Guardsman, or a dependent of any person who has been permanently disabled or killed while acting as a police officer, sheriff, or other law enforcement officer or firefighter (dependent) who is eligible for state tuition assistance and federal educational benefits pursuant to the federal "Public Safety Officers' Benefits Act" may receive the state tuition assistance prior to receiving the federal benefit. The state tuition assistance available to a dependent is reduced by the amount of any federal educational benefit provided to the dependent.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Emergency medical service providers - peer health assistance program - authorized providers - administering entity - appropriation. The act creates a peer health assistance program (program) for emergency medical service providers who do not have access to a peer health assistance program. The program is funded through fees collected from each applicant upon initial or renewal of a certification as an emergency medical service provider. The department of public health and environment (department) is required to select one or more peer health assistance programs as designated providers. To be selected as a provider, the program must: Provide for the education of emergency medical service providers with respect to the recognition and prevention of physical, emotional, and psychological problems and provide for intervention when necessary or under circumstances that may be established by rules promulgated by the department; Offer assistance to an emergency medical service provider in identifying physical, emotional, or psychological problems; Evaluate the extent of physical, emotional, or psychological problems and refer the emergency medical service provider for appropriate treatment; Monitor the status of an emergency medical service provider who has been referred for treatment; Provide counseling and support for the emergency medical service provider and for the family of any emergency medical service provider referred for treatment; Agree to receive referrals from the department; and Agree to make services available to all certified emergency medical service providers. The department is authorized to select a nonprofit private foundation that is dedicated to support medical charitable purposes to administer the program. $57,242 is appropriated to the department to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

The bill creates the "Colorado Partnership for Quality Jobs and Services Act" to facilitate the creation of formal labor-management partnership agreements between state employees in the state personnel system and the executive branch of state government. The bill specifies that certain employees in the state personnel system, due to the nature and responsibilities of their jobs, are not able to participate in partnership agreements. State employees who are allowed to participate in partnership agreements are designated covered employees. Partnership units: The bill specifies that a partnership unit is a group of covered employees who have similar job classifications and who are in a unit for representation by a nonprofit organization that represents covered employees (employee organization). The bill creates partnership units composed of covered employees in specified occupational groups. If a partnership unit was created pursuant to the existing Colorado executive order that authorizes partnership agreements (executive order) and the partnership unit has chosen an employee organization to exclusively represent it (certified employee organization), the partnership unit will continue to be represented by its existing certified employee organization. Certified employee organizations: An employee organization that wants to represent an unrepresented partnership unit may file a petition with the department of labor and employment (department) requesting that it hold an election to allow covered employees in the partnership unit to elect an employee organization to represent it. The department is required to provide notice of the petition and other employee organizations may be included on the ballot in the election. The department is required to conduct an election to determine which employee organization will be the certified employee organization of the partnership unit. The ballot must allow covered employees to vote not to be represented by an employee organization. If one employee organization receives a majority of the votes, the department is required to certify the employee organization as the certified employee organization of the partnership unit. The bill specifies circumstances under which the department is not allowed to hold an election for a partnership unit to select a certified employee organization. The bill also specifies that a covered employee or an employee organization may initiate a process to decertify a certified employee organization for a partnership unit. Rights of covered employees and certified employee organizations: The bill specifies that a covered employee may work with an employee organization and communicate with other covered employees to form a partnership agreement. Certified employee organizations have the right to reasonable access to areas where covered employees work to hold meetings, post notices, and provide information to covered employees. Duties of the certified employee organization: The bill specifies that a certified employee organization is required to represent the interests of all covered employees in the partnership unit, regardless of membership in the employee organization. The bill also specifies the process by which a covered employee may initiate a grievance regarding the interpretation of a partnership agreement. In addition, the bill prohibits a certified employee organization from engaging in a strike, work stoppage, or group sickout against the state or any of its agencies or departments. Duties of the state: The bill specifies that the state is required to: Make payroll deductions for membership dues and other payments that covered employees authorize to be made to the certified employee organization; Notify the certified employee organization when a covered employee is hired, promoted, or transferred to a new partnership unit; Periodically provide specified information about covered employees to each certified employee organization; Allow a certified employee organization to attend orientations for new covered employees; After the state and the certified employee organization reach a partnership agreement, submit a request to the general assembly for sufficient appropriations to implement terms of the partnership agreement requiring the expenditure of money; and Engage in good faith in all aspects of the partnership process. Partnership agreements: A certified employee organization and the state are required to discuss and draft written partnership agreements, which are binding on the state, the certified employee organization, and covered employees. Partnership agreements that govern matters impacting all covered employees in all of the represented partnership units are required to be negotiated collaboratively with all certified employee organizations; except that a certified employee organization may opt out of joint negotiations for the partnership units it represents. A partnership agreement is required to provide a grievance procedure to resolve disputes over the interpretation, application, and enforcement of any provision of the partnership agreement. A partnership agreement is also required to continue in full force and effect until it is replaced by a subsequent partnership agreement. If disputes arise during the formation of a partnership agreement, the certified employee organization and the state are required to engage in the dispute resolution process established by the bill. Duties of the state personnel director: The state personnel director (director) is required to enforce certain aspects of the partnership agreement process. The director is authorized to conduct hearings to adjudicate disputes regarding the rights of covered employees and the rights and duties of certified employee organizations and the state under partnership agreements. The director is required to determine and impose appropriate administrative remedies to address violations of rights or duties pursuant to the "Colorado Partnership for Quality Jobs and Services Act". Court review: The bill specifies the circumstances under which the director or a party to a partnership agreement may request court review of the final action of the director or an arbitrator's decision and specifies the standards under which the court may conduct such review. Court review may be requested as follows: The director may request that the court of appeals enforce orders issued by the director in connection with partnership agreements; Any person or party affected by a final rule, order, or decision of the director may appeal to the district court for further relief; A party to a partnership agreement may seek enforcement or vacation of an arbitrator's decision on a grievance concerning the interpretation, application, and enforcement of a partnership agreement in district court; and Either the state or a certified employee organization may challenge the final judgment of an arbitrator's judgment resolving a dispute in the formation of a partnership agreement in district court.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) Read More

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Current law allows heat, light, gas, water, power, and telephone utilities to establish a graduated scale of charges known as tiered rates. The bill directs the legislative investor-owned utility review interim study committee to study the effects of tiered electric rates and allows the committee to hold 4 meetings during the 2019 interim. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) Read More